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her only chance。 It had taken her seven years to bring him to the point of
signing that first will。 He was seventy…four years of age； enfeebled；
obstinate； and she knew of his plans to flee from her。 Even supposing
that she could prevent his flight； could she begin all over again to another
seven years of bullying and wheedlingalways with the prospect of the
old man dying before she could get him to the point again of doing as she
wished？ The very existence of the second will was a menace。 It only
needed that the would…be heirs of the Prince should hear of it； and there
would be a swoop on their part to rescue the testator from her clutches。
In the balance against 2；000；000 francs and some halfdozen castles with
their estates the only wonder is that any reasonable person； knowing the
history of Sophie Dawes； should hesitate about the value she was likely to
place on the old man's life。
The inquiry begun in September of 1830 into the circumstances
surrounding the death of the Prince was cooked before it was dressed。
The honest man into whose hands it was placed at first； a M。 de la Hurpoie；
proved himself too zealous。 After a night visit from the Procureur he was
retired into private life。 After that the investigators were hand…picked。
They concluded the investigation the following June； with the declaration
that the Prince had committed suicide； a verdict which had its rewardin
advancement for the judges。
In the winter of 1831…32 there was begun a lawsuit in which the
Princes de Rohan brought action against Sophie and the Duc d'Aumale for
the upsetting of the will under which the latter two had inherited the
Prince de Conde's fortune。 The grounds for the action were the undue
influence exerted by Sophie。 The Princes de Rohan lost。
Thus was Sophie twice ‘legally' vindicated。 But public opinion
refused her any coat of whitewash。 Never popular in France； she became
less and less popular in the years that followed her legal triumphs。
Having used her for his own ends； Louis…Philippe gradually shut off from
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her the light of his cod…like countenance。＇29＇
＇29＇ Lacenaire； the notorious murderer…robber in a biting song；
written in prison； expressed the popular opinion regarding Louis…Philippe's
share in the Feucheres…Conde affair。 The song； called Petition d'un
voleur a un roi son voisin； has this final stanza：
‘‘Sire； oserais…je reclamer？ Mais ecoutez…moi sans colere：
Le voeu que je vais exprimer Pourrait bien； ma foi； vous deplaire。
Je suis fourbe； avare； mechant； Ladre； impitoyable； rapace； J'ai
fait se pendre mon parent： Sire； cedez…moi votre place。''
Sophie found little joy in her wide French possessions。 She found
herself without friends before whom she could play the great lady in her
castles。 She gradually got rid of her possessions； and returned to her
native land。 She bought an estate near Christchurch； in Hampshire； and
took a house in Hyde Park Square； London。 But she did not long enjoy
those English homes。 While being treated for dropsy in 1840 she died of
angina。 According to the famous surgeon who was at her bedside just
before her demise； she died ‘‘game。''
It may almost be said that she lived game。 There must have been a
fighting quality about Sophie to take her so far from such a bad start。
Violent as she was of temper； greedy； unscrupulous； she seems yet to have
had some instincts of kindness。 The stories of her good deeds are rather
swamped by those of her bad ones。 She did try to do some good with the
Prince's money round about Chantilly； took a definite and lasting interest
in the alms…houses built there by ‘‘the Great Conde；'' and a request in her
own will was to the effect that if she had ever done anything for the
Orleans gang； the Prince de Conde's wishes regarding the use of the
chateau of Ecouen as an orphanage might be fulfilled as a reward to her。
The request never was fulfilled； but it does show that Sophie had some
affinity in kindness to Nell Gwynn。
How much fartheror how much betterwould Sophie Dawes have
fared had her manners been less at the mercy of her temper？ It is
impossible to say。 That she had some quality of greatness is beyond
doubt。 The resolution of character； the will to achieve； and even the
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viraginous temper might have carried her far had she been a man some
thirty years earlier in the country of her greater activities。 Under
Napoleon； as a man； Sophie might have climbed high on the way to glory。
As a woman； with those traits； there is almost tragic inevitability in the
manner in which we find her ranged with what Dickens called ‘‘Glory's
bastard brother''Murder。
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VI： ARSENIC A LA BRETONNE
On Tuesday； the 1st of July； in the year 1851； two gentlemen； sober of
face as of raiment； presented themselves at the office of the Procureur…
General in the City of Rennes。 There was no need for them to introduce
themselves to that official。 They were well…known medical men of the
city； Drs Pinault and Boudin。 The former of the two acted as spokesman。
Dr Pinault confessed to some distress of mind。 He had been called in
by his colleague for consultation in the case of a girl； Rosalie Sarrazin；
servant to an eminent professor of law； M。 Bidard。 In spite of the
ministrations of himself and his colleague； Rosalie had died。 The
symptoms of the illness had been very much the same as in the case of a
former servant of M。 Bidard's； a girl named Rose Tessier； who had also
died。